Elma
Usually explained as a short form of Wilhelmina, the feminine of Wilhelm, which joins the Germanic wil, will, with helm, helmet or protection.
Elma in 2025
Elma was given to 32 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 7,613th most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 103,604 babies born.
The history of Elma
Elma reached its highest point in 1918, when 674 babies were given the name, ranking 440th that year. Its best-ever ranking was 300th, in 1901.
Across the 146 years of records since 1880, 22,186 babies have been named Elma. Half of them were born before 1923, which places the name's centre of gravity with the Greatest Generation.
Elma by decade
| Decade | Babies named Elma | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 643 | 384 |
| 1890s | 1,361 | 327 |
| 1900s | 1,945 | 300 |
| 1910s | 4,916 | 353 |
| 1920s | 5,161 | 470 |
| 1930s | 2,893 | 624 |
| 1940s | 1,877 | 835 |
| 1950s | 1,159 | 1,234 |
| 1960s | 654 | 1,708 |
| 1970s | 329 | 3,070 |
| 1980s | 196 | 4,964 |
| 1990s | 183 | 5,774 |
| 2000s | 411 | 5,026 |
| 2010s | 298 | 7,220 |
| 2020s | 160 | 7,528 |
Where Elma is heading
Elma has held roughly steady over the past decade, from 31 babies in 2015 to 32 in 2025.
That is less than 5% of its 1918 peak — Elma is now a rare name in the United States.
Names like Elma
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Elma.